


Too Long, Not Enough

by pornell_fangirl



Series: A Place In Time [8]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-17
Updated: 2013-01-17
Packaged: 2017-11-25 21:25:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/643120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pornell_fangirl/pseuds/pornell_fangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony's worried about his friend's recent behavior.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Long, Not Enough

Jimmy jumped a little as the beer hit the table in front of him but barely flinched at the Gibbs style head slap that followed it. Rolling his eyes as Tony slid into the booth opposite him he lifted the bottle in greeting.

"Thanks for the beer and all but I didn't realise that a concussion was the price!"

Tony looked him up and down in appraisal.

"You're a dick."

Big hazel eyes widened beneath Jimmy's round glasses as he choked on the mouthful he'd just taken.

"Excuse me?" he spluttered.

"You heard me," Tony went on. "Now all that's left for me to do is get you good and drunk so you can tell me exactly why you're being a dick and then I can make you stop it."

His look softened.

"It's just not you Jimmy and frankly... it's disturbing!"

Leaning back, the younger man cocked an eyebrow at his friend.

"And exactly how am I - as you so eloquently put it - being a dick?"

Pointing his own bottle, Tony lifted his other hand, raising his index finger.

"One. You had a total sissy fit with McGee earlier. Ok, we all ribbed him about his book, but you... you took pissiness to a whole new level."

Jimmy snorted.

"And I suppose you would take it just fine if he'd written Agent Tommy as the sick bastard screwing a corpse?"

Tony seemed to consider this for a moment before his smirk twisted into a grimace and he shuddered.

"Ok, I'll give you that. But... point two. You never come out with us anymore. Even tonight when I wanted to talk to you, I had to find you!"

Jimmy's face darkened.

"I haven't really been the best company lately. Would you rather I came out and dragged the whole team down?"

"Yes!" Tony insisted. "Because we're friends, best friends I thought. And maybe, just maybe I could help you through this bad time. That's what you'd do for me. What you have done for me."

Downing the remainder of his beer, Tony signalled for the waitress to bring another round.

"And finally, point three - the thing that disturbs me most of all..."

At that moment the waitress brought their drinks, smiling a bit too much at a clearly uninterested Tony. All the time she swapped over the drinks and lingered, Jimmy sat patiently, starting intently at the older man.

Eventually they were left alone again and he made a gesture encouraging Tony to spit it out.

"Fine." Tony growled. "Michelle Lee? I mean yeah, she's cute and all, but come on, Jimmy! How long were you and Fornell over before you switched being his dirty secret for being hers?"

Slamming his bottle down on the table, Jimmy winced.

"How the fuck did you know about that?"

Tony sighed.

"You work in a building full of investigators. What confuses me is how in the hell no one else knows by now."

Jaw clenching and eyes looking everywhere but at the man opposite him, Jimmy dwelled on his answer for a minute before giving in.

"It's easy with Michelle. She doesn't expect anything from me and I don't expect anything from her. It started a couple of weeks after me and... and Toby... when I told him we couldn't go on the way we were. The first time, well it just happened. Angry sex. Not like that last time with Toby, it was just... convenient."

"And you don't think this is a mistake?" Tony pressed. "How are you gonna feel about yourself when you and Fornell make it up, huh?"

Jimmy shook his head sadly.

"We're not gonna make it up, Tony. We're over. Done. I'm not gonna lie and tell you it doesn't break my heart, but that's the way it has to be. For what it's worth, I am sorry for the way I've been acting and I'll try to do better."

Clinking his bottle against Jimmy's, Tony nodded once. Although he still didn't believe it, he decided to give Jimmy the benefit of the doubt.

"Ok. But this shit with Lee stops now. And you come talk to me if you need to."

For the first time in months, Jimmy felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. He wasn't ready to promise anything but he felt better knowing Tony was there to fight his corner.


End file.
